Sniffer Dogs can hinder police work.

[ferryman]

Ah!  The STU100.

Does anyone know what it's actually used for?

[DCI]

Ah!  The STU100.

Does anyone know what it's actually used for?

http://stu100.com/about.php

I think it is the same thing Grime mentions.

I have developed the training of the E.V.R.D. to include the screening of scent pads taken from motor vehicles, property or scenes by a ST100 Scent Transference Unit. The unit is designed in a two-part design. The main body is a battery operated electrical device that draws air in at to the front and exhausts through the rear. There is no 're-circulation' of air within the unit. The second part is a 'grilled' hood that fits to the main body. A sterile gauze pad is fitted into the hood. When operated, the ST100 draws air through the hood and the sterile gauze pad and exhausts through
ports to the rear. 'Scent' is trapped in the gauze, which may then be forensically stored for use within scent discrimination exercises.

The ST 100 unit is cleaned following use in such a manner that no residual scent is apparent. This is checked by control measures where the dog is allowed to search a given area where the S 100 is secreted. Any response by the dog would suggest contamination. Tests have shown that the decontamination procedures are effective in this case with the dog NOT alerting to the device when completed.

Use of the ST 100 is recommended when subject vehicles, property, clothing, premises are to be forensically protected from contamination by the dog, and for covert deployment. At all other times best practice would be for the dog to be given direct access.

Operational use of the ST100 is in a developmental stage.

http://themaddiecasefiles.com/topic35.html

[ferryman]

http://stu100.com/about.php

I think it is the same thing Grime mentions.

I have developed the training of the E.V.R.D. to include the screening of scent pads taken from motor vehicles, property or scenes by a ST100 Scent Transference Unit. The unit is designed in a two-part design. The main body is a battery operated electrical device that draws air in at to the front and exhausts through the rear. There is no 're-circulation' of air within the unit. The second part is a 'grilled' hood that fits to the main body. A sterile gauze pad is fitted into the hood. When operated, the ST100 draws air through the hood and the sterile gauze pad and exhausts through
ports to the rear. 'Scent' is trapped in the gauze, which may then be forensically stored for use within scent discrimination exercises.

The ST 100 unit is cleaned following use in such a manner that no residual scent is apparent. This is checked by control measures where the dog is allowed to search a given area where the S 100 is secreted. Any response by the dog would suggest contamination. Tests have shown that the decontamination procedures are effective in this case with the dog NOT alerting to the device when completed.

Use of the ST 100 is recommended when subject vehicles, property, clothing, premises are to be forensically protected from contamination by the dog, and for covert deployment. At all other times best practice would be for the dog to be given direct access.

Operational use of the ST100 is in a developmental stage.

http://themaddiecasefiles.com/topic35.html

Here is what an STU100 is:

The Scent Transfer Unit was specifically designed for forensic specialists, investigators, evidence recovery teams, identification departments and scent dog handlers. The Scent Transfer Unit allows law enforcement to collect evidence from any item without destroying fingerprints on the item, collect trace evidence at a crime scene without contamination, collect scent evidence from hard to access places not accessible to a search dog and gives law enforcement a scent pad to store in scent banks for future use on repeat offenders.

The STU-100 was designed and built to assist law enforcement with the collection of scent evidence. It provides a method of preserving evidence for extended periods of time. Properly handled and operated, the STU-100 can produce unbelievable results. Using scent discriminating canines, scent evidence can give you - Direction of travel from a crime scene - Direction to evidence left behind or hidden evidence - Direction to a concealed subject - The capability to establish probable cause - Provide positive identification. Proven effective by extensive testing by the FBI and others, it has been demonstrated to reliably pick up bomb/explosive handlers scent evidence on bomb fragments from several types of detonations to assist in locating and identifying those that handled the detonators and other parts of the explosive devices.

The STU-100 is very user friendly and comes with a 10 minute training DVD. The unit comes in its own custom fitted case and only weighs 14 pounds. The STU-100 is very durable and compact for fieldwork and has its own charging system and 12v battery which operates the unit, or it can be plugged into any 12v system (vehicle, plane, boat etc.). Comes complete with sterile scent recovery pads and alcohol wipes.

Just the sort of equipment the handler of a cadaver dog would need ...

http://www.crimesciences.com/StoreBox/otherevidencecollectkits/stu-100.htm

[AnneGuedes]

I'm surprised nobody seems to be interested in reading the scientific study on death scent and dogs.

http://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1382&context=etd

[sadie]

I'm surprised nobody seems to be interested in reading the scientific study on death scent and dogs.

http://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1382&context=etd

I have tried, Anne, but nothing comes up on my computer .... just a blank screen.

[Chinagirl]

Ditto.  The link doesn't work, Anne.

[AnneGuedes]

That's strange. I'm sorry, I tried it right now and it worked !
http://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1382&context=etd
Try with the title :
Development of a Dynamic Headspace Concentration Technique for the Non-Contact Sampling of Human Odor Samples and the Creation of Canine Training Aids
Lauryn E. DeGreeff, Florida International University

[sadie]

That's strange. I'm sorry, I tried it right now and it worked !
http://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1382&context=etd
Try with the title :
Development of a Dynamic Headspace Concentration Technique for the Non-Contact Sampling of Human Odor Samples and the Creation of Canine Training Aids
Lauryn E. DeGreeff, Florida International University

Sorry but atm I have loads to do.  Life has to go on ... and I spend far too much time here

Maybe later.

sadie x

[ferryman]

That's strange. I'm sorry, I tried it right now and it worked !
http://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1382&context=etd
Try with the title :
Development of a Dynamic Headspace Concentration Technique for the Non-Contact Sampling of Human Odor Samples and the Creation of Canine Training Aids
Lauryn E. DeGreeff, Florida International University

First thing to note is that is dated November  2010, some 3 and a half to four years after Madeleine's abduction.

It says this on page 104:

The current research will utilize the STU-100 to provide more information about
the signature compounds from the decomposition of human bodies, which could lead to
the formulation of a more effective pseudo scent or the use of the STU-100 as an
investigative tool or as a tool for canine handlers. Scent transfer units are already
possessed by local police departments and federal agencies. The application of such a
collection device could potentially be used to confirm the alert of an HRD canine when
the body is no longer present, or could be used to create odor pads for canines in the same
manner as is already done for the human scent canines.

It doesn't appear to explain how the device could be used in that manner, and it doesn't appear as if, at that juncture, (some 4 years after Madeleine's abduction) the manufacturers of STU100s had quite worked out, themselves, how the unit could thus be used.

I think Amaral got hold of the wrong end of some half-understood conversation and said in his book that this device would confirm Madeleine was dead.

[Jean-Pierre]

It has been said before.  But perhaps worth saying again.  Having read his book, how on earth did this man get to become a policeman?  His logical reasoning seems to be based either on flawed thinking or on prejudice.

 

[TTSOFAFM]

I'm surprised nobody seems to be interested in reading the scientific study on death scent and dogs.

http://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1382&context=etd

Thank you for that link I found this paragraph interesting

Chemical pseudo scents may be used as training aids as an alternative to actual
human remains. Putrescine and cadaverine are particularly odorous compounds formed
during the decomposition process and are commonly found in pseudo scent mixtures.
While these compounds may be easier to obtain, they are hazardous chemicals that must
be handled with care. Cadaverine and putrescine are known to be found in all decaying
organic matter93 and have also been found in human saliva.94  Also, these mixtures likely
do not completely represent the entire odor picture of human remains as there have been
no scientific studies showing which odor or combinations of odors are of interest to HRD
canines.

[TTSOFAFM]

From the item number 94

http://www.deepdyve.com/lp/elsevier/time-profile-of-putrescine-cadaverine-indole-and-skatole-in-human-g4MEvu8fwp

Bacterial putrefaction of saliva in the oral cavity consists of essentially two processes. The first is the
breakdown of proteins and peptides, the second is the degradation of the resulting amino acids (e.g.
L-arginine, L-ornithine, L-lysine and cysteine) by enzymes, into volatile compounds such as hydrogen
sulphide, methyl mercaptan, indole, skatole, putrescine and cadaverine.

[AnneGuedes]

Cadaverine and putrescine are known to be found in all decaying
organic matter and have also been found in human saliva.  Also, these mixtures likely
do not completely represent the entire odor picture of human remains as there have been
no scientific studies showing which odor or combinations of odors are of interest to HRD
canines.
This is likely why the HRD dog wasn't trained with synthetic compound of cadaverine and putrescine and didn't react to it.
If one is patient enough and reads further, it says that both particular scents aren't present in early decaying stage (which in fact confirms human noses).

[Carana]

Cadaverine and putrescine are known to be found in all decaying
organic matter and have also been found in human saliva.  Also, these mixtures likely
do not completely represent the entire odor picture of human remains as there have been
no scientific studies showing which odor or combinations of odors are of interest to HRD
canines.
This is likely why the HRD dog wasn't trained with synthetic compound of cadaverine and putrescine and didn't react to it.
If one is patient enough and reads further, it says that both particular scents aren't present in early decaying stage (which in fact confirms human noses).

I'll assume that you have never been stuck in a confined space with someone with halitosis. ;)

Seriously, it would have been so much clearer if, instead of "cadaver" odour, something along the lines of human decomposition scent had been used in the first place.

[AnneGuedes]

I know what (rather recent) death smells. It's like riding a bike, once you've learnt you never forget. It has nothing comparable, fortunately (since you can't but associate it with death), with halitosis, except that both are repelling.
You should read that study, Carana, and see how aids for training the dogs are carefully tested.